Heatwave looms as UK temperatures ‘may exceed 25C for a number of days’ this week

Brits could face a heatwave this week as a leading weather forecaster reckons temperatures may exceed 25C for a number of days.

The Met Office defines a heatwave as “when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding a heatwave temperature threshold”. The threshold varies by region from 25C to 28C.

In an update yesterday (Sunday, May 5) Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said “the first major warm spell of the year” is expected to develop this week.

READ MORE: ‘Heatwave’ verdict as weather expert reveals when UK could ‘easily’ hit 26C this month

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“We will now see high pressure move in across our shores to deliver a largely warm, sunny, and almost on cue settled spell of weather for most and if not all parts of the country throughout next week,” he said.

“This will see temperatures exceeding the 20C mark quite widely from around Wednesday for a number of days, and these warm conditions will also extend into parts of the northern half of the country within this developing period too.”

Madden added it’s “plausible” we could see temperatures “hitting or exceeding the 25C mark in the hottest spots in parts of central and southern England”.

Advanced weather modelling maps also suggest Brits can expect temperatures to rise this week. The UKV weather model, which is run by the Met Office, shows maximum temperatures could reach 22C in southern-central and eastern England on Thursday afternoon (May 9). Even further north, and in Northern Ireland and Scotland, 18C to 19C is on the cards.

The outlook is even better for Friday afternoon (May 10). The UKV maps show maximum temperatures could reach 20C to 22C widely across England and Wales. Northern Ireland and Scotland look likely to be a notch cooler.

The Met Office forecast for Wednesday to Friday states: “Largely fine and dry with variable amounts of cloud and some sunshine. Rain will move into parts of Northern Ireland and northern Scotland on Wednesday. Rather warm in the sunshine.”

Madden also reckons the rest of May could see more balmy conditions. However, there is some uncertainty in the forecast for now.

He said some models show next week will be “temporarily unsettled”, whereas others suggest “an intensification of these warm to potentially hot conditions”. He added: “Alternatively, there are also some promising signals for another area of high pressure to become influential on our weather pattern in terms of additional warm to hot weather and some early summer sunshine for many around mid-month.”

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